Humber River Hospital
Located in Toronto, Humber River Hospital was built to amalgamate three separate hospitals into one facility. At the time of launch it was the largest hospital in Canada and the first fully digital hospital in North America. Driven by digital platforms and analytics, the hospital is redefining patient care through the use of technology to enhance the visitor experience. Cygnus was part of the P3 team with HDR Architecture, Plenary and PCL to design and implement the wayfinding program.
- University of Toronto
Cygnus was involved in all stages of the project, including master planning, strategy, design, planning, project management, fabrication, and installation. Working closely as part of the development team, Cygnus developed a program designed to integrate with the hospital’s digital building systems.
Stakeholder meetings were held throughout the process to ensure all aspects of the hospital’s operations were considered. Outcomes of these workshops led to a new room numbering strategy and design for the donor program. Working with the architectural team, Cygnus developed a digital wayfinding strategy, including kiosks, signage monitors, and digital room monitors.
As part of the Portals of Care concept, clinics have been assigned a unique letter and colour at the exterior entrances, similar to gates at an airport. Once inside, each clinic acts as an individual neighbourhood, allowing patients and visitors to easily identify their destination. The colour-coded visual system was carried through wall and ceiling treatments, maps, directional signs, and digital signage. The result is intuitive and ensures patrons receive frequent reassurance as they travel to their destination. Information that helps visitors re-route when needed is placed strategically at critical points.
